CarneiroThe head of a sheepInside
Carneiro
The head of a sheep
Inside a brain split in two
Left for reason, right for art.
Outside for who? What? Where? When?
Me.
Both.
Here.
Always.
Never one but two and maybe three.
The reason of Nazca1 and Pachamama2
The art of Marinera3 and Zampoña4
The reason of our Jeitinho5 and a Amazona6
The art of Carnaval7 and Bossa Nova8
Does their reason stay true for me?
Does their art apply to me?
When there is also life, liberty, property?
Because Carneiro is not one or other or all or none
Instead, it is leaving and it is joining
While 3 compete to survive.
And new kills the old
Until agreement
To create that new mix
Inside their one-of-a-kind bowl
Or do they melt everything brought
Everything, just everything on the inside of their pot?
1The Nazca civilization in Peru known for the Nazca lines etched to reflect astronomical and spiritual beliefs
2Incan belief of the Earth Mother goddess, Pachamama, and the celebration in her honor symbolizing nature, fertility, and balance.
3A traditional coastal Peruvian dance representing elegance and cultural pride
4A traditional Andean pan-flute instrument which is a key component to much indigenous music
5 A Brazilian term often used to describe the culture’s relaxed and adaptable approach to life
6The Amazon region in Brazil known for its complex navigation and nature
7 A festive tradition in Brazil featuring music, dancing, and parades which has grown to be a defining expression of Brazilian and Latin American identity
8A Brazilian music genre that blends elements of jazz and traditional samba
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▾ This Poem's Voice
Your Poem's Voice
Blends personal identity with abstract philosophical inquiry about cultural hybridity and belonging.
Dense clustering of ideas: reason vs. art, cultural references, existential questions compressed tightly.
Contemplative uncertainty with slight anxiety about identity; neither dark nor celebratory.
Fragmented syntax and staccato phrases create urgency; questioning tone drives momentum forward.
Approximately 28 lines including footnotes; falls in 16-30 range.
Rich metaphor (brain split, pot/bowl), personification (reason/art competing), cultural allusions throughout.
Primarily lyric/internal voice; introspective questioning without dramatic persona or narrative arc.
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